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Downgrade 5.5G FW / Install Rockbox - NTFS Brick (Help?)

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idiq:
Alright this originally started with an attempt to downgrade my 5.5G ipod's firmware and eventually ended with massive frustration as my ipod now seems to be a brick. Below is what I did to try and achieve this...

Firstly, I did a restore of my ipod through iTunes7. I uninstalled iTunes7, and then tried to use the iPod Wizard, which wouldn't load without giving me a windows error, and from what I can tell the other method of editing the iPod firmware through a disk drive is now defunct with the newest firmware update through iTunes7.

I also downloaded all of the updaters from 2005-11-17 to the most recent, 2006-06-28. None of them worked, consequently all except the 2006-06-28 would immediately crash like the iPod Wizard. 2006-06-28 told me to update through iTunes7. I tried the /CRC extension, which failed.

I called my local iPod store and told the guy I wanted to downgrade to earlier firmware, he told me to simply right-click on the drive and do a quick format - unfortunately, when I tried this in Windows it did nothing. I would click start and it would just idle there. Apparently, if this did work though, the subsequent updaters were supposed to work as well.

Loaded up Partition Magic 8, which didn't even recognize the iPod drive. Since I'm running WinXP Professional, I went into Administrator Tools and Computer Management. You can get Administrator Tools to display by going through Start Menu properties.

Once in Computer Management, I was able to format my iPod drive but only to NTFS. It did not work at first because it claimed the drive was in use, but on my second attempt it did.

At the time of writing this, I have been able to build and configure today's daily build of Rockbox (11/28). Earlier attempts with the iTunes7 firmware resulted in step 6 of the instructions being truncated. Now however, (under the NTFS format) I was able to fully build the Rockbox firmware and install it to the iPod...

My iPod showed the following upon restart:


But now just sits and idles there. I can feel the hard drives spinning, but I just let the battery run out. When I plugged it back into my box, it doesn't even display it as a connected device, and the Rockbox alternate charging animation (I presume this is it) displays instead of the standard iPod FW one - however this lasts under 5 seconds and then I get the same screen as above.

Although I did not 'reinstall' firmware after the NTFS format, this was because the iPod seemed to function normally - it displayed the Language Selection menu and everything else fine... However, would this affect the building of the bootloader?

Nevertheless, is there anyway I can 'restore' my iPod or at least get Windows to recognize it as a device again?

Febs:
1.  Rockbox does not yet support the 5.5g.

2.  Rockbox does not support NTFS.

3.  You can reboot the ipod by holding Menu + Select rather than by letting the battery run down.

4.  As it reboots, hold Select + Play to put it into disk mode and then hook up to your computer.  You should then be able to use iTunes to restore it.

idiq:
Thanks, I knew it did not support the 5.5 FW, so that's why I tried to get it to 2006-06-28 or earlier firmware...

Did not know about the NTFS. Thanks for the help, I'll try that tonight when I get home.

Febs:

--- Quote from: idiq on November 29, 2006, 11:00:11 AM ---Thanks, I knew it did not support the 5.5 FW, so that's why I tried to get it to 2006-06-28 or earlier firmware...
--- End quote ---

It's the 5.5 hardware that is the issue, not the firmware.

saratoga:
I strongly recommned you check to see if your hardware is supported before you try something like this.  While Apple has made it nearly impossible to brick the Ipod, that doesn't mean its a good idea to try and see if you can manage it anyway.

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